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I am looking to get a pair of yellow monitors and am wondering if anyone could provide me with good reading material? What is a good size cage for a pair of adults, breeding information and all info I can get is welcome. Thank you all.

My first question would be, have you ever bred monitors?

I have not bred monitors but I want to begin working with them. Their care will be first and for most but breeding would be a great award. I do have experience with tegus and snakes and I have many enclosures to offer them as they grow including an 8ft x 4ft x 6ft enclosure. I will build them a larger enclosure if they require larger. I can and will provide anything the lizards will need. I am just looking to hear recommendations from experienced keepers of these monitors.

I recomend starting with something else, tegu and snake experience does not cross over to varanid husbandry. In fact, in most cases holds you back. In order to progress, you will have to unlearn much of what you thought was important.

In order to keep and progress with monitors, you must have a handle on what your observing. The species you picked is not commonly or even occasionally bred in captivity, I think once or twice in the states. So its not one you want to learn with. Its a species you can TEST what you learned with other species.

They are EXTREMELY shy, and will avoid behavior in front of you at all costs. They are what we in the trade call the empty cage monitor. You may as well have an empty cage.

If you want a species that will enteract with you, Try Argus monitors, they are so much fun, they can be TOOOOo much fun. They will teach you about monitors and in a hurry.

Do not let your ego harm your chances of enjoying keeping monitors.

Most that start with yellow monitors, END with yellow monitors. Make the right choice. Cheers

I agree with FR on this wholeheartedly. Over the years I've seen numerous keepers with little to no monitor experience attempt to start breeding programs with species that are uncommonly bred in captivity. While the intention is noble, the reality is that there's usually a reason those species aren't commonly bred and you're better off starting with a species that will encourage your efforts with positive results and then try your hand with something trickier. Most, if not all, of the people that start off with a trickier species get discouraged and drop monitors altogether.

I also agree that experience with other reptiles is often a hindrance when starting with monitors. When I ship off baby monitors to new owners I send them care information a few weeks prior and occasionally I receive an email response to the effect of "no thanks, I don't need it as I've kept x, y and z reptiles before". Those are the people I end up spending the most time on the telephone with later, explaining why their baby monitor isn't feeding yet.

This isn't a criticism - everyone has something to learn and it's just a matter of being open to it in order to move forward.

Thank you and I honestly understand and get hat you are both saying. Honestly I never focus on breeding first; the husbandry of the reptile is always first. I truly am as open minded about the care for these monitors and am ready to learn what I can. I am set on raising them and understand its not going to be an easy task. I am not getting them at this moment just trying to get as much information as I can to begin my work with them as best I can. I am not trying to upset or argue with people I am simply looking for any assistance in helping the reptile receive as much proper care as I can provide.

I think even if you're just getting a couple of monitors as 'pets', with no intention of breeding them, you're still better off getting something other than an Indonesian species. Most of them are either wild caught or hatched from eggs removed from wild caught, gravid females (many of the so-called 'farms' are a sham and simply a front for removal of animals from the wild), which is probably not the ideal industry to support, whereas there are quite a number of species that are captive bred and available.

Most Indonesian monitors of this group are also shy and subject to 'empty cage syndrome', making them boring so most people don't end up keeping them for very long. One sees very few images of adult indicus group monitors (including melinus) on these forums - new keepers post a stack of photographs of their newly acquired babies, then shortly after they reach adult size the frequency of posts disappears until they drop off the forums altogether and the animals end up on craigslist or elsewhere. I know that melinus are a pretty animal, but I think you'll get more enjoyment out of another species.

The flaw in your plan or approach. With monitors, normal good husbandry indeeds causes reproduction. You do not need to do anything different to breed them.

Second and most importantly, healthy females produce eggs, again, with nothing more then normal support. Normal healthy females, seem to perish if not supported with that reproductive process.

In that, while your doing your research, how about asking everyone, what happened to their females? Good luck

Again, I do honestly appreciate the input from you FR and Crocdoc2, and am aware of the difficulties ahead of me if I do take on caring for these monitors. I am simply looking to gather as much information as I possibly can so that I can make the decision if I am ready for the monitors. I am not trying to be arrogant or let my ego get in the way when it comes to this decision. I understand that every reptile is different when it comes to the care and it has been made clear that for monitors this is especially the case. I am not looking to get into these monitors to have something I can handle but something I can observe. I don’t mind the fact that these tend to be your “empty cage” monitors at all actually. I agree with you FR that all that is really required for successful breeding is proper care for the animals themselves. I apologies that you both believe I am only getting into these monitors for breeding purposes, but the fact is I am not and that is just the result I would like to be rewarded with in the end. I cannot say it enough, I understand I have chosen a fairly new monitor and not a great deal is known, but I am ready to learn as much as I can. I, respectfully, would like to make my own choice as to if this species is right for me.
I honestly do hope you both don’t take this as anything bad, I am great full to all your warnings. I know you both have a lot of experience and I do greatly admire your inputs.
Thank you,
Anthony D.

Hi Anthony,

I am not sure you do understand. Your question is asked as if there is a specific way to Breed Melinus(the yellow monitor)

Like you would find for some tort or colbrid thats been bred for decades.

The problem is, in the U,S. there have only been a few breedings, and they were not taken to generations or even several clutches from one female.

In fact, with monitors, its not like other reptiles. You know, where all you have to do is follow instructions and success will come.

Such species as ackies are about as close it the varanid work comes to repeatable success.

The real problem is Space, medium to large monitors REQUIORE a fair amount of space. Say you have a 15 by 20' snake/reptile room, that room could house a fair number of individuals of various species. Yet, that entire room would be small for one pair of melinus. Hmmmmmmmmm they can reach nearly five feet and are bulky.

Back to ackies, they require the space of a large boid.

All varanids are very mammal like, very very active, do stuff everyday, etc. Any species of monitor can get across that room In a few seconds, hmmmmmmmmmm or less.

You know my recomendation, get a pair of ackies and you will have lots and lots of fun.

If you actually want real info for that species, call Forth worth zoo. There is no specific guide to success, with varanids, its about about how versitale and aware the keeper is. And is the keeper willing to spend lots of money and work their bums off. Cheers

It seems that you both are focusing on the fact that I asked for information and breeding was an example of the information I was looking for. Overall I am simply searching for any information that will aid in caring for the monitors. I am interested in any information such as care and requirements. I am not focusing on the whole breeding part of this care. I am trying to focus on finding care requirements and information but all I have found are the things in searches using “yellow monitor care” and “quince monitor care”. I posted on here to try to get input from keepers that have and do work with these monitors. As I have said I respect and am great full for all the warnings urging me to try another monitor but am wanting to make my own decision on if this species is right for what I can provide. If there is no other information out there on the requirements for yellow monitors other than what searches find then that is fine and I will contact the local zoo/safari park.
I truly am grateful for your inputs so far Crocdoc2 and FR. I also know you have the best intensions and are possibly even speaking from first-hand experience as monitor breeders yourselves.
Thank you all, all previous and future input is honestly appreciated.

Hello Mightymouse04,

Your question has been answered. The problem is that your level of experience with monitor lizards will not allow you to see it. You have also been given very good advice. To learn about these V.melinus monitors that are of interest to you, you should begin your lesson in keeping monitors with one of the commonly bred species. If you do this for at least a short time, this will give you a base of experience to use. A long time would be much better for you and your future melinus monitors. You are failing to acknowledge the main message, that is, experience is exactly what V.melinus need from you. Reread the posts that you have been grateful to receive and try to gather the message that is being given to you, both for your own enjoyment of monitor lizards and for the well being of any future varanids that you choose to keep. The advise from FR and CrocDoc is coming from two of the most successful and experienced varanid keepers and researchers on the forum and they are both in the ranks of the same in the world to date. I hope this helps. Kindly, Best to You- Mike S

"It seems that you both are focusing on the fact that I asked for information and breeding was an example of the information I was looking for. Overall I am simply searching for any information that will aid in caring for the monitors."

Keeping a pair as 'pets', whether they are bred or not, has been covered in posts by both FR and myself.

"If there is no other information out there on the requirements for yellow monitors other than what searches find then that is fine and I will contact the local zoo/safari park.

Having worked in the zoo industry for many years I can say that looking to a zoo/safari park for 'best practice' when it comes to monitor care (with some exceptions) is going to accelerate your abandonment of the hobby through disappointment.

One final bit of advice. Part of the reason your post has met with mainly discouraging remarks, aside from the species you've chosen to keep, is the nature of your inquiry. I'm a member of a number of forums, covering everything from video editing to monitor keeping. One thing I've rarely seen on a video editing forum is a post that starts with 'tell me how to edit video' and that never ends well. People who have clearly already done some research and then have specific questions get answered.

Search around a number of forums to gather some information and then word your question differently. For example: "I'm thinking of trying this setup, what are your comments?" will probably get a fair number of responses. "Tell me about the care of monitor species X" will not, for a couple of reasons: 1. The answer will require a huge amount of time from the person responding, for it will end up being a book length post if it's to cover the topic adequately and 2. Those people have probably already written book length posts on the topic elsewhere so the information is already out there. Most forums have a search function, so if you search for 'melinus' you'll probably find a fair bit.

Thank you again for the input. I do acknowledge that I am getting advice from some great monitor keepers and for that I have the utmost respect. I am taking all of the advice given and I am looking into other monitor species. I am still reading and searching for information on the yellow monitors but am opening up to possibly others.

I do understand that I should have asked a more specific question and for that I am sorry for the confusion. I have a large 8’ x 4’ x 6’ enclosure with 3 locations to mount heat lamps. I have multiple florescent light fixtures that I plan on installing, and lot of cork and logs to fill the enclosure with. As for hides, I have 4 hides: two on each side of the enclosure, one at about 4’ above the floor and one on the floor. The enclosure averages 85 degrees and has 2 hot spots that are at 120 degrees. I have a misting system that I can program to run in short or long intervals and a large 3.5’ water dish with a pond filter. So far that’s what I have for an enclosure and I am still working on getting it fine tuned.

I am open to suggestions on monitors that may be good fits for me, and truly do welcome all suggestions. I am not really big on the ackies but do like the peach throats, mangroves, blue tails, green and blue trees and of course the yellows. I am not looking to handle the monitors often just from time to time and don’t even care if they are often seen.

Truly, thank you CROCDOC2 and FR. Your inputs have been very appreciated and same to you lizardheadmike. I realize that gaining the experience will come with time and practice.

Thank you all
Anthony D

Thanks for taking the comments in the right vein, Anthony.

Unfortunately, your list of desired monitors all have one thing in common: They are Indonesian species which will likely be wild caught and less than ideal as a first monitor. I'd be inclined to go for a more robust, captive bred species. Have you considered argus monitors, Varanus panoptes?

No problem, the more input I can obtain is appreciated, even if its what I don’t want to hear. I really don’t want to seam like an unreasonable reptile owner that is only looking to make money off of something that looks “pretty.” I really do enjoy observing and learning about and from the reptiles get.

I have considered the Argus and really do like them but heard that they require very large enclosures for pairs. I already have the larger enclosure and I am looking for a pair of monitors that will work great in that enclosure when fully grown. Would the size of the enclosure I already have work well for a pair of Argus monitors.

If your going with that type cage, then argus monitors are what you want.

I hope you understand that you can hear everything or anything on the internet.

FYI, argus are about the same size as Melinus, maybe a tad smaller.

Yes, there are some monster male argus in the 5 foot range. I have seen melinus over that size, 5 1/2 feet.

THe actual problem is, most melinus die off before they reach full size, so you DON'T see a lot of mature individuals. Those that have supported a male melinus have seen them grow very large. I know when I saw my first large male, I was shocked. The same went for argus too. A large male is so very impressive.

The reality is, neither NORMALLY get that large, and when they do its males.

Females of both are normally in the three foot area. And males are NORMALLY in the four foot area. Again, of both species. So your exsisting cage is the same for both, too small.

Both species are broad in their use of habitat, Argus, use trees, ground, water, They are very versitle. That goes for melinus as well. THe only difference is, argus do everything in front of you and with you, to a point of you running around the room with a big male right on your tail wanting more food. Their feeding response may only be second to a mako shark, naw, the shark is second to argus.

Back to learning. I can guarantee that if you purchase one neonate of each, the melinus would get traded in for being totally boring, compared to an argus. I can easily say that because, all monitors are totally boring compared to argus.

The bad part is, argus are a bit to exciting for me. That is when you keep colonies. I perfer gouldi and flavis, they are great fun, but not tooooooo much fun. There is such a thing as tooo much fun. That would be an argus.

If you really are interested, get one of each. Cheers

FR, what do you mean by get one of each? Are you referring to the gouldi’s and flavis or the argus and melinus? I have heard that the argus are very aggressive feeders and was even told that the males often kill the females when feeding due to biting their snouts and cutting some vein/artery located there. As for gouldi’s and flavis I don’t often see them for sale here in CA, best I have seen is an argus flavi cross.

You mentioned that the enclosure I have is currently to small, how much larger would I want?

Whatever monitor I do chose, I do know I will be starting with a baby so the larger enclosure isn’t needed right away.

Put it to you this way...with monitors, you can never go too big. The more room you give them the better. In my opinion, if you want the absolute minimum, I would go with at least 10 feet wide, by 6 feet deep, by 8 feet tall with about 3 feet of dirt that can handle intricate burrows. Just my two cents.

You could end up having issues with males biting females during feeding with many of the species on your list, particularly doreanus, so I wouldn't let that be the sole reason for dropping the idea of argus monitors.

Obtain one individual of each type and see what you like. Then if you want to keep one of them, excess one and add a mate for the other.

You see, experience is you actually doing something. Oh and if you only have that one cage, then don't obtain any type of varanid. There is going to be a need for other cages, sooner or later. For various reasons. ITs a management tool. Cheers